Why You Should Not Spank Children

It is very common to find parents spanking their children in an attempt to discipline them or when they do not listen. Spanking is a temporary solution and provides an external control over the child. However, a child who is spanked tends to be obedient for a short period of time and then goes back to his old ways. This results in parents spanking the child once again. The whole cycle repeats itself.

Spanking cannot be considered a good punishment because of the very short impact it can have on the child. Spanking can also have many adverse side effects. Some of these side effects due to which spanking your child should be avoided are:

• Spanking develops low self-esteem, depression and low self-confidence in the child. The child may grow up believing that anything he does will end up being wrong
• Spanking does not motivate the child to make decisions on his own.
• Spanking denies an opportunity for the child to learn the art of self-control. Such children do not learn how to control themselves when the parents are not around.
• Many children consider the effect of spanking to occur only for a short while. They soon return to continuing what they were doing before being spanked.
• Children may stop exploring the world around them for fear of a spank from the parents.
• Spanking causes the child to focus on the punishment rather than correcting his behaviour.
• Spanking can affect the parent-child development. This is because the child may refuse to bond with the spanking parent.
• Spanking can embarrass the child and make him angry. The anger can provoke him to retaliate against his parents.
• Spanking can make your child feel insecure and he can lose the ability to trust in himself.
• A child who is spanked by his parents may become naughty and more disobedient.
• Spanking can enhance aggressive behaviours and cause a decline in sophisticated cognitive development.
• Children who are spanked often tend to believe that hitting others is normal. They resort to hitting other children when they do something the child does not like. They are confused when parents whom they consider as role models teach them not to hit others.
• Spanking fails to teach the child a sense of responsibility.
• Spanking can create negative emotions in the whole family.
• Children who receive spankings often fail to learn the value of empathy.
• Spanking denies children from learning the behaviour that we as parents want them to emulate in their later years.

As a caring parent, you must remember that the age old saying "Spare the rod and spoil the child" no longer holds good. So, it is advisable to do away with spanking as far as possible.